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Open Mind

A Judge Speaks Out The Nation, October 1997 (#1829)

United States Circuit Court Judge, retired H. Lee Sarokin, joins host Richard D. Heffner to discuss his article, "A Judge Speaks Out," which was a recent cover story featured in The Nation. [26 minutes]

This episode has not aired in the past few months on Iowa Public Television.

Series Description: THE OPEN MIND provides a quiet and thoughtful excursion into the world of ideas. Never strident, nor personally intrusive, its objective is to provide light, not heat. Richard D. Heffner created THE OPEN MIND in May, 1956, and is still its producer/moderator. Each week he leads substantive and thought-provoking discussions on the ideas, events, issues and personalities that command America's attention and understanding.

All Episodes

Dr. Robert Michels, Walsh-McDermot University Professor of Medicine and Psychiatry at Cornell University, continues his discussion with host Richard D. Heffner about the particularly difficult matter of managed care and the responsible practice of psychiatry. (Previously announced as episode #1826.) [26 minutes]

United States Circuit Court Judge, retired H. Lee Sarokin, joins host Richard D. Heffner to discuss his article, "A Judge Speaks Out," which was a recent cover story featured in The Nation. [26 minutes]

United States Circuit Court Judge, retired H. Lee Sarokin, continues his discussion with Richard D. Heffner about his article, "A Judge Speaks Out," which was a recent cover story featured in The Nation. ~ [26 minutes]

Dr. Ellen J. Langer, Professor of Psychology at Harvard University, joins host Richard D. Heffner to discuss her books, Mindfulness and The Power of Mindful Learning. Together, they explore the ways in which individuals can come off "automatic pilot," and open their minds to what rational beings really can be taught to do and to achieve. [28 minutes]

Dr. Ellen J. Langer, Professor of Psychology at Harvard University, continues her discussion with Richard D. Heffner about her books, Mindfulness and The Power of Mindful Learning. Together, they explore the ways in which individuals can come off "automatic pilot," and open their minds to what rational beings really can be taught to do and to achieve. [28 minutes]

Dr. Kathleen Foley, Chair of the Project on Death in America, joins host Richard D. Heffner to discuss how the experience of dying has changed in America over the past few decades. They explore how the possibilities for a gentle closure of life are often overwhelmed by uncontrolled physical pain, excessive financial burdens, unresponsive health care plans and emotional isolation. As a result, a profound dread of death and of the dying process has developed within the contemporary American culture. [28 minutes]

Kathleen Foley, Chair of the Project on Death in America, continues her discussion with Richard D. Heffner on how the experience of dying has changed in America over the past few decades. They discuss how the possibilities for a gentle closure of life are often overwhelmed by uncontrolled physical pain, excessive financial burdens, unresponsive health care plans and emotional isolation. As a result, a profound dread of death and of the dying process has developed within the contemporary American culture. [28 minutes]

Dr. Michael Lewis, Professor of Pediatrics and Psychiatry, Director of the Institute for the Study of Child Development at the Robert Wood Johnson Medical School in New Jersey, and author of Altering Fate, Why the Past Does Not Predict the Future, joins host Richard D. Heffner to discuss the question of philosophical and psychological assumptions or "givens" on which we base much of what we think about the the nature of human development ... and what we do or do not do about it. [28 minutes]

Former editor-in-chief of American Lawyer publications and creator or Court TV, Steven Brill joins host Richard D. Heffner to discuss his new journalistic venture, Content magazine, in which he is setting his sights "... on an even more significant industry, and remarkably, one that's even less covered by the media." That industry is the media itself. [28 minutes]

Former editor-in-chief of American Lawyer publications and creator or Court TV, Steven Brill continues his discussion with host Richard D. Heffner on his his new journalistic venture Content magazine. He also addresses his long time romance with cameras in the courts, which Mr. Heffner once characterized in "The New York Law Journal" as "a bad idea whose time has come." [28 minutes]

Public Affairs: THE OPEN MIND continues its substantive, thought-provoking discussions of the ideas, events, issues and people commanding America's attention and understanding. Richard D. Heffner, host of THE OPEN MIND since 1956, interviews prominent figures in the media, the arts, science, business, government, and other fields. Without either liberal or conservative bias ? and always with an openmind ? the series deals with important topics such as censorship, thedecriminalization of drugs, euthanasia, the liberties and responsibilities of the press, political correctness, race relations and the proper role of government in daily life. Over the years guests have ranged from Martin Luther King Jr. to William F. Buckley, Margaret Mead to Helen Gurley Brown, Justice Thurgood Marshall to Justice Stephen Breyer, Mario Cuomo to Daniel Goldhagen. [28 minutes]

Public Affairs: THE OPEN MIND continues its substantive, thought-provoking discussions of the ideas, events, issues and people commanding America's attention and understanding. Richard D. Heffner, host of THE OPEN MIND since 1956, interviews prominent figures in the media, the arts, science, business, government, and other fields. Without either liberal or conservative bias ? and always with an openmind ? the series deals with important topics such as censorship, thedecriminalization of drugs, euthanasia, the liberties and responsibilities of the press, political correctness, race relations and the proper role of government in daily life. Over the years guests have ranged from Martin Luther King Jr. to William F. Buckley, Margaret Mead to Helen Gurley Brown, Justice Thurgood Marshall to Justice Stephen Breyer, Mario Cuomo to Daniel Goldhagen. [28 minutes]

Public Affairs: THE OPEN MIND continues its substantive, thought-provoking discussions of the ideas, events, issues and people commanding America's attention and understanding. Richard D. Heffner, host of THE OPEN MIND since 1956, interviews prominent figures in the media, the arts, science, business, government, and other fields. Without either liberal or conservative bias ? and always with an openmind ? the series deals with important topics such as censorship, thedecriminalization of drugs, euthanasia, the liberties and responsibilities of the press, political correctness, race relations and the proper role of government in daily life. Over the years guests have ranged from Martin Luther King Jr. to William F. Buckley, Margaret Mead to Helen Gurley Brown, Justice Thurgood Marshall to Justice Stephen Breyer, Mario Cuomo to Daniel Goldhagen. [28 minutes]

Public Affairs: THE OPEN MIND continues its substantive, thought-provoking discussions of the ideas, events, issues and people commanding America's attention and understanding. Richard D. Heffner, host of THE OPEN MIND since 1956, interviews prominent figures in the media, the arts, science, business, government, and other fields. Without either liberal or conservative bias ? and always with an openmind ? the series deals with important topics such as censorship, thedecriminalization of drugs, euthanasia, the liberties and responsibilities of the press, political correctness, race relations and the proper role of government in daily life. Over the years guests have ranged from Martin Luther King Jr. to William F. Buckley, Margaret Mead to Helen Gurley Brown, Justice Thurgood Marshall to Justice Stephen Breyer, Mario Cuomo to Daniel Goldhagen. [28 minutes]

Public Affairs: THE OPEN MIND continues its substantive, thought-provoking discussions of the ideas, events, issues and people commanding America's attention and understanding. Richard D. Heffner, host of THE OPEN MIND since 1956, interviews prominent figures in the media, the arts, science, business, government, and other fields. Without either liberal or conservative bias ? and always with an openmind ? the series deals with important topics such as censorship, thedecriminalization of drugs, euthanasia, the liberties and responsibilities of the press, political correctness, race relations and the proper role of government in daily life. Over the years guests have ranged from Martin Luther King Jr. to William F. Buckley, Margaret Mead to Helen Gurley Brown, Justice Thurgood Marshall to Justice Stephen Breyer, Mario Cuomo to Daniel Goldhagen. [28 minutes]

Public Affairs: THE OPEN MIND continues its substantive, thought-provoking discussions of the ideas, events, issues and people commanding America's attention and understanding. Richard D. Heffner, host of THE OPEN MIND since 1956, interviews prominent figures in the media, the arts, science, business, government, and other fields. Without either liberal or conservative bias ? and always with an openmind ? the series deals with important topics such as censorship, thedecriminalization of drugs, euthanasia, the liberties and responsibilities of the press, political correctness, race relations and the proper role of government in daily life. Over the years guests have ranged from Martin Luther King Jr. to William F. Buckley, Margaret Mead to Helen Gurley Brown, Justice Thurgood Marshall to Justice Stephen Breyer, Mario Cuomo to Daniel Goldhagen. [28 minutes]

Public Affairs: THE OPEN MIND continues its substantive, thought-provoking discussions of the ideas, events, issues and people commanding America's attention and understanding. Richard D. Heffner, host of THE OPEN MIND since 1956, interviews prominent figures in the media, the arts, science, business, government, and other fields. Without either liberal or conservative bias ? and always with an openmind ? the series deals with important topics such as censorship, thedecriminalization of drugs, euthanasia, the liberties and responsibilities of the press, political correctness, race relations and the proper role of government in daily life. Over the years guests have ranged from Martin Luther King Jr. to William F. Buckley, Margaret Mead to Helen Gurley Brown, Justice Thurgood Marshall to Justice Stephen Breyer, Mario Cuomo to Daniel Goldhagen. [28 minutes]

Public Affairs: THE OPEN MIND continues its substantive, thought-provoking discussions of the ideas, events, issues and people commanding America's attention and understanding. Richard D. Heffner, host of THE OPEN MIND since 1956, interviews prominent figures in the media, the arts, science, business, government, and other fields. Without either liberal or conservative bias ? and always with an openmind ? the series deals with important topics such as censorship, thedecriminalization of drugs, euthanasia, the liberties and responsibilities of the press, political correctness, race relations and the proper role of government in daily life. Over the years guests have ranged from Martin Luther King Jr. to William F. Buckley, Margaret Mead to Helen Gurley Brown, Justice Thurgood Marshall to Justice Stephen Breyer, Mario Cuomo to Daniel Goldhagen. [28 minutes]

Public Affairs: THE OPEN MIND continues its substantive, thought-provoking discussions of the ideas, events, issues and people commanding America's attention and understanding. Richard D. Heffner, host of THE OPEN MIND since 1956, interviews prominent figures in the media, the arts, science, business, government, and other fields. Without either liberal or conservative bias ? and always with an openmind ? the series deals with important topics such as censorship, thedecriminalization of drugs, euthanasia, the liberties and responsibilities of the press, political correctness, race relations and the proper role of government in daily life. Over the years guests have ranged from Martin Luther King Jr. to William F. Buckley, Margaret Mead to Helen Gurley Brown, Justice Thurgood Marshall to Justice Stephen Breyer, Mario Cuomo to Daniel Goldhagen. [28 minutes]

Cultural historian Neal Gabler joins host Richard D. Heffner to discuss his new book, Life the Movie . . . How Entertainment Conquered Reality . . . Starring Everyone. Gabler insists, "We always thought that politics and economics are the crucial forces of our time, but entertainment is the most inexorable force of the twentieth century. We export it and the world eats it up. It's the best hunger-satisfier that man has ever devised." Part one of two. [28 minutes]

Cultural historian Neal Gabler and host Richard D. Heffner continue to discuss Gabler's new book, Life the Movie . . . How Entertainment Conquered Reality . . . Starring Everyone. Gabler insists, "We always thought that politics and economics are the crucial forces of our time, but entertainment is the most inexorable force of the twentieth century. We export it and the world eats it up. It's the best hunger-satisfier that man has ever devised." Part two of two. [28 minutes]

Geriatrician Dr. Joanne Lynn, Director of the Center to Improve Care of the Dying at George Washington University, joins host Richard D. Heffner to discuss her new book, Handbook for Mortals: Guidance for People Facing Serious Illness. Part one of two. [28 minutes]

Geriatrician Dr. Joanne Lynn, Director of the Center to Improve Care of the Dying at George Washington University, and host Richard D. Heffner continue to discuss Lynn's new book, Handbook for Mortals: Guidance for People Facing Serious Illness. Part two of two [28 minutes]

Public Affairs: THE OPEN MIND continues its substantive, thought-provoking discussions of the ideas, events, issues and people commanding America's attention and understanding. Richard D. Heffner, host of THE OPEN MIND since 1956, interviews prominent figures in the media, the arts, science, business, government, and other fields. Without either liberal or conservative bias ? and always with an openmind ? the series deals with important topics such as censorship, thedecriminalization of drugs, euthanasia, the liberties and responsibilities of the press, political correctness, race relations and the proper role of government in daily life. Over the years guests have ranged from Martin Luther King Jr. to William F. Buckley, Margaret Mead to Helen Gurley Brown, Justice Thurgood Marshall to Justice Stephen Breyer, Mario Cuomo to Daniel Goldhagen. [28 minutes]

Public Affairs: THE OPEN MIND continues its substantive, thought-provoking discussions of the ideas, events, issues and people commanding America's attention and understanding. Richard D. Heffner, host of THE OPEN MIND since 1956, interviews prominent figures in the media, the arts, science, business, government, and other fields. Without either liberal or conservative bias ? and always with an openmind ? the series deals with important topics such as censorship, thedecriminalization of drugs, euthanasia, the liberties and responsibilities of the press, political correctness, race relations and the proper role of government in daily life. Over the years guests have ranged from Martin Luther King Jr. to William F. Buckley, Margaret Mead to Helen Gurley Brown, Justice Thurgood Marshall to Justice Stephen Breyer, Mario Cuomo to Daniel Goldhagen. [28 minutes]

THE OPEN MIND continues its substantive, thought-provoking discussionsof the ideas, events, issues and people commanding America's attention and understanding. Richard D. Heffner, host and producer of THE OPEN MIND since 1956, interviews prominent figures in the media, the arts and sciences, business, government and other areas of national life. Without either liberal or conservative bias and always with an open mind the series deals with important topics such as censorship, the decriminalization of drugs, euthanasia, the liberties and responsibilities of the press, political correctness, race relations and the proper role of government. Over the years guests have ranged from Martin Luther King Jr. to William F. Buckley, Margaret Mead to Helen Gurley Brown, Justice Thurgood Marshall to Justice Stephen Breyer, Father John LaFarge to Governor Mario Cuomo, CIA Director Richard Helms to Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel; Oliver Stone to Robert Redford. [28 minutes]

THE OPEN MIND continues its substantive, thought-provoking discussionsof the ideas, events, issues and people commanding America's attention and understanding. Richard D. Heffner, host and producer of THE OPEN MIND since 1956, interviews prominent figures in the media, the arts and sciences, business, government and other areas of national life. Without either liberal or conservative bias and always with an open mind the series deals with important topics such as censorship, the decriminalization of drugs, euthanasia, the liberties and responsibilities of the press, political correctness, race relations and the proper role of government. Over the years guests have ranged from Martin Luther King Jr. to William F. Buckley, Margaret Mead to Helen Gurley Brown, Justice Thurgood Marshall to Justice Stephen Breyer, Father John LaFarge to Governor Mario Cuomo, CIA Director Richard Helms to Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel; Oliver Stone to Robert Redford. [28 minutes]

THE OPEN MIND continues its substantive, thought-provoking discussionsof the ideas, events, issues and people commanding America's attention and understanding. Richard D. Heffner, host and producer of THE OPEN MIND since 1956, interviews prominent figures in the media, the arts and sciences, business, government and other areas of national life. Without either liberal or conservative bias and always with an open mind the series deals with important topics such as censorship, the decriminalization of drugs, euthanasia, the liberties and responsibilities of the press, political correctness, race relations and the proper role of government. Over the years guests have ranged from Martin Luther King Jr. to William F. Buckley, Margaret Mead to Helen Gurley Brown, Justice Thurgood Marshall to Justice Stephen Breyer, Father John LaFarge to Governor Mario Cuomo, CIA Director Richard Helms to Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel; Oliver Stone to Robert Redford. [28 minutes]

THE OPEN MIND continues its substantive, thought-provoking discussionsof the ideas, events, issues and people commanding America's attention and understanding. Richard D. Heffner, host and producer of THE OPEN MIND since 1956, interviews prominent figures in the media, the arts and sciences, business, government and other areas of national life. Without either liberal or conservative bias and always with an open mind the series deals with important topics such as censorship, the decriminalization of drugs, euthanasia, the liberties and responsibilities of the press, political correctness, race relations and the proper role of government. Over the years guests have ranged from Martin Luther King Jr. to William F. Buckley, Margaret Mead to Helen Gurley Brown, Justice Thurgood Marshall to Justice Stephen Breyer, Father John LaFarge to Governor Mario Cuomo, CIA Director Richard Helms to Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel; Oliver Stone to Robert Redford. [28 minutes]

THE OPEN MIND continues its substantive, thought-provoking discussionsof the ideas, events, issues and people commanding America's attention and understanding. Richard D. Heffner, host and producer of THE OPEN MIND since 1956, interviews prominent figures in the media, the arts and sciences, business, government and other areas of national life. Without either liberal or conservative bias and always with an open mind the series deals with important topics such as censorship, the decriminalization of drugs, euthanasia, the liberties and responsibilities of the press, political correctness, race relations and the proper role of government. Over the years guests have ranged from Martin Luther King Jr. to William F. Buckley, Margaret Mead to Helen Gurley Brown, Justice Thurgood Marshall to Justice Stephen Breyer, Father John LaFarge to Governor Mario Cuomo, CIA Director Richard Helms to Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel; Oliver Stone to Robert Redford. [28 minutes]

THE OPEN MIND continues its substantive, thought-provoking discussionsof the ideas, events, issues and people commanding America's attention and understanding. Richard D. Heffner, host and producer of THE OPEN MIND since 1956, interviews prominent figures in the media, the arts and sciences, business, government and other areas of national life. Without either liberal or conservative bias and always with an open mind the series deals with important topics such as censorship, the decriminalization of drugs, euthanasia, the liberties and responsibilities of the press, political correctness, race relations and the proper role of government. Over the years guests have ranged from Martin Luther King Jr. to William F. Buckley, Margaret Mead to Helen Gurley Brown, Justice Thurgood Marshall to Justice Stephen Breyer, Father John LaFarge to Governor Mario Cuomo, CIA Director Richard Helms to Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel; Oliver Stone to Robert Redford. [28 minutes]

THE OPEN MIND continues its substantive, thought-provoking discussionsof the ideas, events, issues and people commanding America's attention and understanding. Richard D. Heffner, host and producer of THE OPEN MIND since 1956, interviews prominent figures in the media, the arts and sciences, business, government and other areas of national life. Without either liberal or conservative bias and always with an open mind the series deals with important topics such as censorship, the decriminalization of drugs, euthanasia, the liberties and responsibilities of the press, political correctness, race relations and the proper role of government. Over the years guests have ranged from Martin Luther King Jr. to William F. Buckley, Margaret Mead to Helen Gurley Brown, Justice Thurgood Marshall to Justice Stephen Breyer, Father John LaFarge to Governor Mario Cuomo, CIA Director Richard Helms to Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel; Oliver Stone to Robert Redford. [28 minutes]

Norton Garfinkle, chair of the Lamaze Institute for Family Education and of George Washington University's Communitarian Policy Studies, joins host Richard D. Heffner to discuss "partnership government," stressing the value of the community as an always critical force in shaping the good society. [28 minutes]

John Sexton, dean of the New York University School of Law, joins Richard D. Heffner to discuss his conviction that: "In our society, lawyers are and must be the conscience of both the legal system and the client -- for if they are not, no one will be." [28 minutes]

Dr. Ruth Westheimer joins host Richard D. Heffner to evaluate the changes in our sexual mores and behavior over the two decades in which she has played a major role in increasing our sexual awareness. [28 minutes]